VIDEO footage of a man beaten and dragged naked by policemen in Cairo has triggered outrage in Egypt and prompted calls for the Interior Minister, Mohammed Ibrahim, to resign.

But hours after the presidency expressed disappointment over the incident and Mr Ibrahim offered to resign, the man told state television the policemen were actually trying to save him from protesters - a claim quickly dismissed by his relatives.

Footage of the incident was broadcast live on television during protests on Friday night against the Islamist President, Mohamed Mursi.

TV footage of the alleged beating. Photo: AFP

In the video, riot police can be seen beating Hamada Saber, a 50-year-old painter, before he is dragged into an armoured vehicle in front of the presidential palace.

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''The horrible and degrading images showing the central security officers and police beating and dragging a naked man near the presidential palace should lead to the Interior Minister's immediate resignation,'' said Khaled Dawoud, spokesman for the main opposition National Salvation Front.

The presidency said it was ''pained by the shocking footage of some policemen treating a protester in a manner that does not accord with human dignity and human rights''.

Mr Ibrahim's office said he had ordered an investigation to ''hold accountable'' those who who beat the man, and that he would resign if ''that's what the people want''.

Prosecutors said Mr Saber had been found carrying petrol bombs.

Late on Saturday, Mr Saber, in an interview with state television, said the police were actually saving him from protesters.

''They gathered around me and roughed me up. They took my clothes, then they said, 'Hey, this guy isn't a policeman, he's an old man,'' Mr Saber said from his hospital bed.

''I tried to resist the police because I didn't want to get into their armoured vehicle, but then I realised that they were trying to save me.''